Transitioning from college can be a process in life that fills students with trepidation. They may experience feelings of uncertainty and anxiety over issues related to transferring to another college, going on to graduate school, entering military service, or moving into the world of work. Recognizing that these topics may cause distress to their…

Freshmen Pre-Orientation Programs (FPOPs) can be powerful outreach tools for incoming college students and provide an exciting introduction to the field of engineering. The benefits reach not only the first year students, but also the upperclassmen who help to run the programs and the departments that sponsor them. A family of three engineering…

Describes the Open Campus program of the University of Rochester in which during a 10-day period in April applicants who have been offered admission but have not decided to enroll are invited to the campus for one to three days. They room with volunteer student hosts, sit in on classes, etc. (JT)

At the beginning of the l974-75 term, Florida A & M University innovated the concept of the miniquarter. Its central purpose was to foster the development of the collegiate life styles, attitudes, motivations, and work-study habits almost absolutely demanded by competitive curricula. The idea appeared to be rational, relevant, and workable.…

Current freshman orientation practices among U.S. colleges and universities are described and comments upon the degree of concurrence between these practices and an evolving philosophy of freshman orientation are made. Letters requesting copies of orientation programs were sent to a random sample of 160 colleges and universities, divided equally…

States the human relations goals of the program, specifies the means by which these goals are to be achieved, and delineates four key philosophical concepts upon which the program is based. (Author)

In an effort to inform commuter students of services and programs on a regular basis, the University of Maine at Orono launched a campaign consisting of a newsletter and orientation sessions targeted directly at commuter students. The newsletter included topics of special interest to commuter students such as housing services, ridesharing, child…

This paper presents a brief history of higher education in United States prisons, and then describes an on-campus education program for ex-offenders at John Jay College. The following topics are covered: (1) establishing and planning the college orientation program; (2) primary objective and ultimate aim; (3) needs and limitations of ex-offenders;…

This paper describes the Buddy Program for international teaching assistants (ITAs) at Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing and presents brief case studies of the program in action. The Buddy Program pairs new ITAs with undergraduates at MSU to help familiarize ITAs with student life at the school and help them assimilate into their new…

The School of Indigenous Health Studies at the University of Sydney (Australia) developed the Cadigal Program to improve equity of access and participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The program allows lower scores on the University Admission Index or Tertiary Entrance Rank for Aboriginal applicants, who typically enter…

The Outdoor Pursuit Center at Miami University, Ohio, has provided an outdoor orientation experience for incoming first-year students since 1995. The experience provides an environment that is effective in easing the transition into higher education settings. Student trip coordinators, student facilitators, faculty, and professional staff use…

This document is a compendium of descriptions of 163 innovative programs and services for commuter college and university students from campuses across the nation. Entries include a brief description of the program, statement of goals, rationale, and pertinent background information; resources including staff, volunteer, and funding; evaluation…

This booklet provides the program and abstracts of presentations given at the Fourth Canadian-American Conference on the First-Year Experience. It includes a list of the goals of the conference, sponsoring institutions, staff, and general information about the conference. The booklet then provides brief descriptions of the 51 sessions held over…

Laney's Success Model for First-Year Students attempts to increase retention by accommodating students and encouraging learning. It requires an institutional commitment for student academic success and tries to dispel the forces of attrition: academic boredom, difficulty adjusting to college life, and academic underpreparedness. The first-year…